Somewhere In London
by NarcissaTheSecond
Summary: Based on Bruno Mars' "Somewhere In Brooklyn!" Nick comes back through the Anomaly and Claudia isn't there. Then he see's someone on the subway who looks just like her...
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! So, this is based on Bruno Mars' Somewhere In Brooklyn. I already have a few chapters written, but I'm going to limit Uploading to once a week because, as you've probably noticed, I'm pretty bad at finishing stories but I love this current idea and it's looking pretty good! So, I hope you enjoy Chapter One!  
>Stephanie xxx <strong>

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><p><strong>Chapter One<strong>

Nick couldn't take it in, he simply couldn't. He knew he sounded like a mad man raving, repeating nonsense to the others. "You must know her", "Claudia, you know, Claudia Brown!" But none of them knew her, and no matter how many times he said her name, there was no hint of recognition in the eyes of his team mates. Lester thought he was losing it, he could see. He was probably in danger of being threatened with therapy, but he didn't care. He knew she was real, she couldn't _not _be. There were scenarios from the past few months that simply didn't work without her...

Nick tried to think of an example and, devastatingly, he couldn't. Behind him, the anomaly was convulsing and he knew what that meant. It meant the anomaly was going to close, going to shut him in this world, without her. Before making a conscious decision about it, he was heading back for the anomaly Helen had just disappeared through, running toward it. He'd barely made it a few steps before Stephens arms were around him, holding him back. He struggled, by god, he struggled, but Stephen was strong and refused to let up, even when Nick tried to elbow him. And then...it was gone. Just like that, the anomaly blinked out of existence.

He went limp. Stephens's arms disappeared from around him and suddenly he couldn't support his own weight. With that anomaly, every ounce of willpower inside of him disappeared. She was gone. It was over.

Contemplating that fact, that she was actually _gone, _that they weren't playing some stupid joke on him, that she had never actually existed...a strangled sob escaped his throat. He could sense eyes on him and Abby went to put a soft hand on his shoulder but he shrugged it away.

"Leave me the hell alone" He growled and Connor spoke up.

"Oi, Professor, no need to speak to Abs like that"

Cutter looked up to see a hurt looking Abby folding her arms, her eyes downcast, and the anger melted out of him to be replaced by a feeling of pure emptiness.

"You're right, Connor" He said, pushing himself to his feet and thrusting his hands deep into his pockets, "Sorry, Abby"

"S'OK" She said, with a weak smile and a slight shrug.

"While watching the professor hand a breakdown surely makes my day, I have a meeting to attend," Lester said, "Someone make sure he gets to the ARC, I don't have time to do the paperwork needed to find his replacement"

"Come on, mate" Stephen said, brushing past Cutter towards the car. Abby and Connor, casting worried looks back at him, didn't move. He tried to be reassuring, giving them both a slight smile.

"I'm fine" He said, in a voice that he knew wasn't what one would call convincing, and he began to follow Stephen, feeling as though every step he took away from the Anomaly site broke his heart a little more. He climbed into the passenger side of the car, trying to ignore the worried and anxious glances that the other three kept sending him and stared out of the window, pointedly, as Stephen started driving.

Watching the Anomaly site in the wing-view mirror as they drove away, he could see her so clearly...he could see her walking towards him, turning him around and kissing him. It was impossible for something he'd done to change something so significant, wasn't it? It was too much of a coincidence. He was the one she'd grown close to, not Stephen or the others, just him.

When they arrived back at the ARC, Nick got out of the car and slammed the door, not even looking at the others as he walked into the building. Lester was standing in the middle of the Main. Ops area and Nick walked straight up to him.

"I thought you had a meeting"

"Ah, Cutter" Lester said with a voice full of cool boredom. He handed his file to a man Cutter didn't recognize, but felt as though he should. "Lovely to see you back to your observant self, but quite frankly that was just a excuse to escape as your lunacy was beginning to irk me"

Cutter couldn't help but smile wryly to himself as Lester began walking away.

"So, was the mission a success, Professor?"

"Who the hell are you?" Nick said, perfectly serious. The man's expression changed from polite to confused and then to slightly hurt.

"You're telling me you don't know who this man is?" Lester said, pausing in the act of walking away and turning back to face them. "Forgive the professor, Leek, he's in the middle of a nervous breakdown"

"I was gonna call it a mid-life crisis, myself" Connor said, clearly trying to lighten the mood.

"Nick, what are you playing at?" Stephen muttered under his breath so that only he could hear.

"Do you know this man, yes or no?" Lester said, impatiently.

There was a beat of silence and Cutter glanced around. Stephen was looking slightly annoyed, as if he thought this was all just some prank Nick had thought up on the other side of the anomaly, Abby was looking worried and Connors eyes were silently pleading with him.

"Yeah, 'course I know who he is" Nick said. "That's Leek"

"Well, if you're finished having your breakdown, I'll be in my office, if not, I'll still be in my office" And with that, he was gone, heading up the ramp.

Nick looked around the room.

"What is this place?" He asked Stephen, and Leek gave him a odd look as he scurried off after Lester.

"You're kidding, right, Nick?" Stephen asked, his voice ladled with false hope, "Tell me you're havin' us on"

Nick gave Stephen a look that said he, clearly, was not messing with them and his friend sighed.

"Mate, you need a night out" Stephen said, shaking his head resignedly.

"I just thought you imbeciles might want to know, we have a new anomaly" Lester called down from his offices balcony. "Get moving."

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><p><strong>Please Review! :)<strong>

**Stephanie xxx**


	2. Chapter 2

**Heres Chapter Two guys! :D I'm uploading today because I'm not sure whether I will be able to tomorrow!**

**I hope you like it and if you read, please review :)Thanks very muchly!**

**Stephanie xxx**

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

"Wow, this was quite a day, huh?" Stephen said, sitting himself beside Nick, who was silent in response. Stephen sighed. "Nick, listen-"

"Don't." Nick muttered, his voice completely emotionless, "Stephen, she used us both, let's leave it at that"

And with that, Nick got up and walked away. Inside, a war was raging. Hate and anger towards Stephen over what he and Helen had done; the fact that Stephen had kept it from him for all these years made the pain that bit worse. The side with which it was feuding was the part of him that screamed that he couldn't bear to lose anyone else in his life.

Finally coming to terms with the fact that this was not actually some immature practical joke his boss and colleagues had attempted to play on him (though, granted the fact that Lester was his boss, he'd never actually held much for that hope), Nick let his shoulders drop and his feet drag as he walked, thrusting his hands deep into his pockets.

He didn't get far before he reached the river. He leaned on the railings, looking out over the dark water. It only made him think of her.

_"I suppose theres no point in me asking you not to go out with them?"_

"You don't have to worry about me!"

"I'm not, I'm just thinking of how much paperwork there'll be if you drown! You've no idea how many forms I'll have to fill in!"

The memory made him smile sadly and he moved on, ignoring the people bustling around him. He didn't want to cry, it wasn't characteristic of him, but he did feel as though there was now always going to be something missing from his life. He should go home and sleep, he knew, but he just kept walking, thinking over the memories he had of her.

The first time he'd seen her, when she walked over and crushed her lips to his, taking him by utter surprise. He'd known she was...something, right from the beginning.

He remembered every detail, from the confidence of her walk to the attitude in how she flicked her hair.

_"You know what, she's really starting to get on my nerves" Her eyes flashed as she glared from Helen to Nick._

"Yeah, I can understand that" He said, secretly admiring and enjoying the rivalry between the two women.

His hands clenched into fists in his pockets as he thought of Helen. She probably knew what was going on, probably knew all about whatever had happened to Claudia, but god knew when he was going to see _her _again.

He had to admit though, today had brought some victory. He and Connor had made what could end up being a breakthrough in the project. He should have seen it earlier, what with the magnetic field affecting the compasses so, but he supposed it was better late than never. He'd sent Connor back to the ARC with the information with the promise of joining him later tonight. He could always call in and apologise for not turning up, he thought, as he turned around and headed for his car.

Two hours and three whiskeys later, Nick found himself sat on the sofa, staring at his wallet. There it was, proof; proof of her existence. In his wallet, in the little plastic window designed for I.D. or photographs, was a picture of her, of the two of them. They were stood close together, smiling at the camera. He remembered this day, it had been Connors birthday and they'd all chipped in for his present; a digital camera. He'd loved it, but by the end of the day, they'd all grown weary of the flash constantly going off in their faces. A faint ghost of a smile showed on his face as he thought of it, followed by a heaving sigh as he closed the wallet and dropped it onto the table, picking up his empty glass and going into the kitchen for more.

The knock on the door was the only thing that distracted him from getting to his destination and for a moment he debated over ignoring it completely, it was probably just someone trying to sell him something anyway but in the end, manners won out and he went to the door.

"Party!" Connor yelled, parading into his hallway pulling Abby along behind him.

"Excuse me?" Nick asked, perplexed.

"Told you, you need a night out, mate" Stephen said, remaining at the door.

"Yeah, but not tonight-" Nick began to argue but stopped when Abby and Connors faces fell in a way that made him sigh and pick up his coat. He never could stand to disappoint people and Connor and Abby had a way of making you feel guilty without ever saying a word against you.

"Fine, but I'm not staying out too late"

"That a boy, Nick" Stephen said, slapping him on the back and hoarding him down the path that led to the bottom of his front garden and into the cab that they had obviously arrived in.

"Subway, mate" Stephen said to the driver as Nick sat in the front and he and the kids crowded into the back. Somehow, Nick expected that Connor and Abby had already been drinking; they were both giggly and talkative, though the second wasn't anything new for either of them.

Twenty minutes later found the team sitting in an overcrowded tube full of people ready to spend their Friday night on the town. Nick knew he was supposed to be enjoying his first night out, but so far he hadn't been able to find a reason to feel anything other than irritation. Irritation towards Stephen for dragging him out. Irritation towards Connor for screaming down his ear. Irritation towards the woman beside him, who kept elbowing him. If he hadn't already had a pretty crap day, he would have dismissed it as unavoidable, considering how packed the train was, but right now the womans elbow digging into his rib was doing absolute wonders for his mood. Stephen could obviously see the irritation growing in his face because he turned around and spoke to the woman.

"Excuse me, I know it's crowded, but you're elbowing my friend in the ribs" He said, in that flirty voice women seemed to swoon over.

"Oh, I'm sorry" A voice said and Nicks heart jumped up into his adams apple. A hand touched his shoulder, "I'm sorry, sir"

His heart was beating overdrive and his reply froze in his throat.

"Nick, you OK?" Stephen asked, watching his expression with confusion.

"Is your friend alright?" That voice asked. Nick couldn't keep it in anymore and with his heart racing at an unnatural page, he turned around.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Cutter, please tell me what possessed you to do such an idiotic thing as you did today" Lester scolded.

Cutter stood in the middle of the ARC, his hands thrust deep into his pockets, his eyes on the linoleum floor, his expression dark. Connor and Abby were close by, both rather sober now, the former muttering under his breath about how his night had been ruined. Stephen wasn't around. Nicks brow was furrowed in embarrassment and anger at himself. None of it made any sense to him.

A few hours earlier, before Stephen had called Lester to ask him what he should do with the civilian woman Nick had spilled the beans too, they'd been sitting on the tube and Nick had seen her. Or, more like, she'd been causing him great discomfort. Claudia. Or so he'd thought. After that, Nick had turned back into the raving mad man from the anomaly today. From the second he called her Claudia, he had seen the confusion and _fear _in those brown eyes he loved. By the time Lester's people got to them, she was practically hyperventilating. He spilled everything to her, all the time begging for her to believe, begging for her to be his Claudia, even though he knew from the first glance that she wasn't. The hair was too dark, the clothes too...confident.

"Well?" Lester persisted, angry at being woken up at this time.

"You wouldn't get it" He mumbled and Lester sighed, putting a hand to his forehead.

"I'm beginning to think you lot actually do need therapists" He said, impatiently as doors behind Nick slammed open.

"May I introduce, Miss Jennifer Lewis" Stephen called out, his footsteps accompanies by the louder steps of heels. Nick cringed inwardly.

"Ah, Miss Lewis, I do hope our dear Professor didn't scare you too much-"

"What the hell is going on?" A female voice cut him off, leaving Lester speechless for a few seconds. Nick couldn't help but smile slightly to himself, then inhale deeply as he turned around.

She was beautiful. That would have been obvious had she not been the spit of Claudia. The hair was darker, but everything else was the same. The eyes, the complexion, the stubborn set of her jaw, the pout of her lips and slight raise of her eyebrows.

"Miss Lewis," He said, extending his hand. She flinched visibly and eyed his hand as though it was going to bite her, her eyes surveying it, her lips tightening.

"Charmed" She said, blandly, glaring at him from beneath extended, black lashes. Nick sighed.

"I would personally like to apologise for my behaviour, Miss Lewis, I thought you were someone else-"

"Claudia, I take it, considering that's what you were calling me for about ten minutes" She stated before turning to Lester, "You're clearly in charge around here"

Lester bristled himself for a few seconds, mulling over this statement; which he obviously took as a compliment, before clearing his throat and saying, "Yes, I am"

"Right, well, I'd like to go home, please. And I'd like my possessions back"

"I'm sorry, Miss Lewis, but until a contract binding you to silence can be drawn up, I'm afraid that simply isn't possible and you can thank Professor Cutter for that" He said, with a smirk.

"That's outrageous" Miss Lewis said, crossing her arms. Connor, Abby and Stephen had gone quiet and were watching the confrontation with interest, as Nick was. Lester and Miss Lewis were rather evenly matched and the team rather enjoyed watching their boss be brought down a peg or two.

"Unfortunately, Miss Lewis, that's just the way it is-"

"My father is a lawyer," She said, with a sickly sweet smile, "So unless you'd like me to bring down a nasty lawsuit on your behind, I suggest you let me go"

"Thank you, Stephen that will be all" Lester said, with a degrading waving of his arm. Sighing, Stephen walked over and put a hand on Miss Lewis' shoulder, muttering something to her. Her expression was set for a moment before she narrowed her eyes, turned on her heels and stalked off the way they had come, shrugging off Stephens hand as she went.

"Where's he taking her?" Nick asked Lester, who was already on his way to his office.

"Oh, don't worry, Cutter, she's perfectly comfortable" He said, as he reached the top of the stairs, "She'll be staying in one of the ARC's apartments, oh and you'd better start coming up with some silk to spin her pretty little mind that will cover up all of the information you gave her, unless you want your ass to be the one on the line"

His patience broken, his composure on the floor, Lester turned and strode into his office, slamming the door behind him and making the glass shake.

"What are we gonna do with her?" Abby asked and Nick shook his head slightly.

"I've no idea"

Well, this was a fine mess he'd gotten them all into.

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><p><strong>Pretty, pretty please review! If you're reading and you're enjoying the story then review because otherwise I think I'm not doing very well, haha! Thanks to drodgers89, ginnyweasley777 and sopheezmum for reviewing!<strong>

**Stephanie xxx**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Nick, what the hell was last night about?" Stephen asked him, striding into his office with Abby and Connor behind him. Nick sighed; he had known this was coming.

"You'd better sit down" He said, gesturing to the chairs in front of his desk. Abby perched on the edge of his desk, Connor took one of the chairs and Stephen simply crossed his arms, choosing to remain standing.

Half an hour, Nick had spilled the entire story out for them. From meeting Claudia Brown in the Eddington Hotel on the outskirts of the Forest of Dean. He described her to them. Told them how mad she'd been at Stephen for going down into the underground, how she'd spoken to Lester about Diane Johnson, demanding that the girl needed justice, how she'd tricked Nick, on Lesters orders, into giving up Helens locations, how she and Helen had argued in the stadium kitchens, how she'd been knocked out by the Pteranodon, how she'd been able to defend herself from the Anurognathus, how she'd kissed him before he went through the Anomaly, how he'd told Helen that there was the slightest possibility he was in love with her...

"Wow" Abby breathed when he was finished, "It all sounds so romantic"

"Can't really see what's Romantic about losing the girl you're in love with" Connor mumbled from behind her. Abby's lashes dropped for a moment and then she looked back up at Cutter.

"What are you going to do?" All he could do was shrug.

"You've been quiet" He said, to Stephen.

"Well...listen mate, that all sounds pretty...farfetched, to me" Nick could barely believe his ears. Stephen, his so called 'best friend' was insinuating that he had made the whole thing up? Or maybe he thought he was going mad..Nick thought over his story for a moment and decided that yes, it did sound a little implausible, but he knew that, had their roles been reversed and it was Stephen sitting here, telling him this story, he wouldn't have an ounce of doubt in his mind. Anger bubbled up inside of him.

"You think I'm lying?" He said, in a dangerously low voice that made Connor and Abby share a glance.

"No," Stephen said, "I think the anomalies are taking their strain on you and-"

"I'M NOT MAD!" Nick yelled at him, his hand smacking down on the surface of his desk and causing Abby to grip the edge for support before hurriedly jumping down and rushing to Connors side.

"I never said that" Stephen said, his eyes on Nicks hand, "But you're not exactly yourself right now, either"

"Oh, forgive me, Stephen, for being a little overwhelmed by the past few months! First I find out that there are some things called anomalies, then my wife is alive, then you tell me that you slept together before she left! Not to mention all of the crap that went on in between! So, Stephen, forgive me if I haven't been _myself_, recently!"

Stephen sighed, taking a step towards his friend. "Listen, mate, I'm sorry for what happened between Helen and I, but that was eight years ago! In the past, please, let it go!"

"Let it go? You want me to, just, 'let it go'? Say that was Alison and I'd been the one having the affair with her, could you just let it go?"

"Well, that would be quite difficult, considering she's been in South America, but yeah, I think so"

"Clearly, then, you didn't love her! Stephen, you seem to forget that while you were screwing my _wife,_ so was I!

" "Are we ever going to move on from this?"

"We are just as soon as you realise that you betrayed my trust and that things between us are going to be a little unstable for a while and you telling me I might be _crazy_ isn't helping your case much!"

"I never said that-"

"Get out."

"Excuse me?"

"Out, Stephen. Out of my office"

With a glance towards Connor and Abby, who were both looking extremely uncomfortable, and a rather thunderous glare at Nick, Stephen turned on his heel and left the office. There was an uncomfortable silence between the three members of the team still there.

"I'm sorry you two had to see that" Nick said, running a hand through his hair and sitting back down.

"S'ok" Connor mumbled and Abby gave him a slight smile.

"We should be, uh..." She nudged Connor, "Going"

"Yeah, I have some work to do" Nick lied, and Abby pointedly looked at his clear desk.

"Right...oh, before I forget, I'm going to see Miss Lewis later, if either of you want to join me?"

At the mention of her name, Nicks head snapped up. Of course he wanted to know about her...maybe he should let Abby see her, first, though. "Abby, I won't come with you, but do you think you could try and convince her that...well, that I'm not crazy?"

With a slight, amused smile, Abby nodded. "Yeah, sure."

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><p><strong>I know I said I'd only upload once a week, but I'm on a role writing chapters so you'll get them as they come now!<strong>

**Review, please!**

**Stephanie xxx**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

There was a knock on the door. Jenny considered ignoring it. The only people who ever knocked on the door were those people from that place who brought her food and entertainment. It hadn't yet been 24 hours and already she was getting restless.

The 'apartment' wasn't so bad, she supposed. White walls, immaculate, with several inane paintings of landscapes, making the apartments current inhabitant crave fresh air. The entire walls at the front of the apartment, facing out into the city, were entirely made of glass. There were only three rooms, the main room with the kitchenette in the centre and two doors leading off the main room, one to the bathroom and the other to the bedroom. The bedroom was as bland as the main room. Jenny hadn't bothered to use the bed last night, preferring to be stubborn and sit on the couch. At one point, she had dragged the duvet over her, but only due to the cold.

Due to the fact that she had obstinately deprived herself of sleep, she knew she looked like hell. Her hair was tangled, though she'd done what she could with it using the brush she found in the bedroom. There was a shower head in the bathroom and a blow dryer in the bedroom but Jenny was an exceptionally stubborn and strong willed person and, apparently, was of the opinion that acting an unspoken strike against her current residence was going to get her somewhere that was...well, not the apartment.

The knocking had continued and then a female voice came from through the door.

"Miss Lewis? I know you're in there, please open up" Sighing, Jenny finally got to her feet, attempting to run her fingers through her hair before yanking the door open and fixing the woman with a stare.

"Yes?" It was the blonde. She seemed as if, were the circumstances different, she'd be a perfectly sociable person. Perhaps not a sociable person who'd fit comfortably into Jenny's social circle and absolutely not the sort of person Jenny would have chosen to keep company with, but none the less, Jenny expected that she was quite nice.

"Miss Lewis, hi" She said, shifting her weight awkwardly in the doorway. Having been raised to have manners and feeling slightly guilty at how the girl seemed to quiver slightly under her gaze, which she knew was steely and cold, Jenny stepped back and opened the door wider in a gesture of welcome.

"Thanks," The girl said, stepping inside, "I'm Abby, by the way"

Feeling obligated, Jenny said, "I'm Jenny."

"I know..." Abby said, looking slightly guilty, "I read your file"

"I have a file?" Jenny asked, raising her eyebrows.

"According to Lester, everybody has a file" Abby rolled her eyes.

"Really thinks he's something, this Lester, doesn't he?" Jenny said, walking back through into the lounge/kitchen.

"He does indeed" Abby said, anxiously shifting her weight once again. "Listen, Miss Lewis-uh-Jenny..." Jenny waited; eyebrows raised slightly, arms folded, for Abby to speak again. It was obvious that whatever she had to way wasn't going to come out easily. Jenny cleared her throat and it seemed to trigger Abby's speech.

"Don't judge Nick on how he acted the other night! He's going through some stuff at the minute and even we didn't know until this morning! There was this woman called Claudia, see, and he was in love with her but he lost her and apparently you look just like her and now Nick thinks that somehow you are her and with everything that goes on in our line of work I can kind of see where he's coming from, but of course, I get why you freaked I mean, if someone said that to me, I'd probably freak too!"

"My god, you're all crazy" Jenny said, staring wide eyed at Abby, who sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm sure you're pretty overwhelmed by everything-"

"Abby, I don't know whats going on! I don't know why I'm here; I don't know what that..._crazy _man was talking about! I don't understand any of it! So, yes, you could say I'm a little overwhelmed!"

"I'm sorry" Abby said, meekly, looking at the floor.

"I think you should go"

"I brought you a few things that I figured the ARC didn't think to give you...we don't know how long you'll be here" Abby quietly handed Jenny a plastic bag before apologising once more and leaving.

After she had left, Jenny poured the bags contents out onto the floor. Toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, face towel. That was quite nice of Abby. She probably wouldn't have thought to do that, were she the one holding someone practically hostage. Exhaling loudly, Jenny threw the items back into the bag and began to pace.

There had to be some way for her to get out of here.

She knew there was a guard outside of the door, but as far as she knew there was no other security on her. A plan began to form in her mind.


	6. Chapter 6

** Chapter Six**

"No, Abby, I won't go and see her" Nick said, stubbornly.

It had been three days. As Nick wiped his hands on his jeans, Abby folded her arms and stomped her foot.

"Nick, you have to apologise to her" She said, adamantly.

"Why do I?"

"Because you're the reason she's here!"

"Abby" Connor interrupted, "C'mon, leave Nick alone! He's had a hard day, we all have!"

It was true, of course. They'd had a tough few days, actually. Long story short, sabertooth tiger, three victims. It really wasn't pretty.

"Cutter, I think Abby's right..." Stephen perked up and Nick shot him a quick glare.

Their fight hadn't been mentioned since it had happened, but things between them were still quite frosty.

"What do you think?" Nick quite unfairly shot at Connor, who stuttered. "I-uh-well-I...I think-" He nervously looked to the others for support, but Abby simply raised her eyebrows at him and Stephen suddenly became very interested in tying his shoe lace. Connor sighed.

"I think you need to apologise to her, and come up with a way for her to leave that apartment! She has a life"

Nick scowled at the floor for a moment before growling and turning on his heel. "Fine," He snarled at them, "I'll talk to the bloody woman"

Twenty minutes later found him outside the apartment. He'd told the soldier it was OK for him to take a was preparing to knock on the door when a thought came to him.

_Can you face her?_

Was she the way he remembered her? Was she the image of Claudia or had he made the whole thing up? Maybe she didn't actually look anything like the woman he had come to know and be...well, fond of. It couldn't possibly be as bad as he'd made it out to be. The night he'd first saw her, he had been drinking. The alcohol could have contributed to his momentary loss of his grip on sanity. He hoped. And so, it was with a shaking hand that he knocked on the door. He had a key, given to him by the guard, and when she didn't answer, he slid it into the lock and turned. The lock clicked and the door opened a crack. Nick pushed and it opened onto what appeared to be an empty apartment.

"Hello?" He called out, slightly unnerved, before taking a step into the apartment.

_Crack!_

A hideously solid item came thundering down onto his head and he fell to his knees. Through his swimming vision, he saw a pair of heels fly past his head and over him and, trying to keep a hold of consciousness, he shoved himself to his feet. Nick was swaying as he followed her and wished desperately that he hadn't told the guard to go on a break. The 'apartment' was a number of rooms inside the ARC and there was no possible way Jenny could make it to the exit without running into someone.

Well, not the main exit.

There were plenty of fire doors around the building but the chances of Jenny making her way to one were slim to none. He was close behind her, close enough that he could hear how quickly her breath was coming. Her hair bounced off her back as she ran and his head was banging, which was why he hadn't already caught her. "Damn it, woman!" Nick cursed as she turned and began racing down a stairwell, heading straight for, Nick knew (although he hoped she didn't) the nearest fire escape.

Nick, panting and feeling a slight trickle of liquid down the back of his neck, felt his head begin to spin again and, for one moment, had to pause.

This one second was all the encouragement Jenny needed to exit the building. As soon as she shoved open the door, the fire alarm began to go off and Jenny knew she'd just either bought herself some time or sold herself out. She hoped with her entire being that it was the former. The sun washed over her like waves and bathed her in its head. She didn't have time to enjoy the heat though, before she heard the door behind her slam open again.

Twisting around, she saw that it was _him! _The mad one! What was his name again? Nick something? He was the reason she was there in the first place. Her eyes widened before she looked around for somewhere to hide.

The obvious place was in front of her. A black van. The back door was slightly open. Jenny chanced a glance behind her at Nick. He still hadn't seen her. Taking a chance, she raced to the van and slammed the door behind her. Pressing her lips together and pressing her back against one of the vans walls, she listened anxiously. A few pained seconds drew by and then...

Illumination as the vans back door was thrown wide open.

"Gotcha!" Nick said, panting and looking thoroughly pissed off. Voices came from outside and he glanced behind him, narrowing his eyes before his expression changed completely and he climbed into the van, surprising her.

"What are you doing?" She asked, slightly indignant.

"Shut up!" He silenced her and she stared at him, open mouthed.

"Excuse me?"

"I said shut up! Listen, you do this for me, stay quiet and don't get noticed and then I'll make sure you get to go home! Got it?" Jenny weighed up her options for a few seconds and then nodded. "Good, now move over!" He said and she scrambled over so he could sit beside her. Her arm pressed against his and, now wondering what she had gotten herself into, Jenny kept quiet.


	7. Chapter 7

** Chapter Seven **

"Where are we going?"

"Shush!"

"What are you listening for?"

"Shush!"

"Whats going on!"

"_Shut up!"_

This had been going on for twenty minutes and _she _was really starting to grate on Nicks last nerve. He had been trying to make a note of each time they turned a corner, how loud the traffic was and other small details that might assist him if and when he and Jenny had to make a run for it. He didn't expect they would have to, but he thought it best to be cautious.

"Nick-"

"If you don't be quiet, I'm going to let Leek know we're in here just so I don't have to spend anymore time with you!"

Jenny didn't know who Leek was, but she guessed that if he was threatening her with him, she probably didn't want to find out. Haughtily, she folded her arms and sat with her face stubbornly turned away from him.

There was a few moments of silence and a buzzing started in Nicks strained ears. It was with a jolt that he realised he was waiting for her to talk, he _wanted _her to talk. _Damn it! _He thought, vehemently.

There was a loud crunch as the car jolted over an uneven patch of road and Jenny was sent sprawling across the floor and into Nicks lap. They scrambled to get away from each other and Jenny pressed herself into a corner away from him.

Nick could feel his flesh burn where she had touched him and realised that where he had scrambled away from her in an effort to control his feelings and urges, she had done so because she was scared. He could see it in her eyes. She was genuinely fearful of...what? Him? Could she possibly be scared of him?

As he looked at her and her eyes flitted between him and the floor, he realised that yes, she could.

"Look, Jenny...uh...Miss Lewis-"

The car stopped moving. Nick looked at Jenny long enough to see her eyes widen and her throat convulse as she swallowed loudly. Listening intently to the wall of the van, Nick heard Leeks voice close outside.

"I want them moved into the containments as quickly as possible, the longer their out, the longer I have to worry about you idiots messing up all of my plans" The voices began to fade and Nick let out a sigh of relief.

"So, now what?" Jenny asked, impatiently as Nick proceeded to slowly push open the back doors. He chose not to answer and instead climbed out. Jenny, eager to not be left behind, scrambled out behind him.

"What are we doing?"

"I'm going in there" Nick said, pointing to the run down building he was positive Leek had disappeared into. "You're free to do whatever you like, but I warn you, this is a rough neighbourhood and someone...well, like you, might not be in her comfort zone around here"

"Oh, I'll have you know, I could fit in anywhere in the world and be very much in my comfort zone, thank you kindly!"

"Well, then, please! Be my guest!" Nick said, before walking off towards the building. With a glance at her surroundings, Jenny followed.

"Can't we just...hotwire the car or something?" She asked, anxiously.

"Do you, by any chance, know how to hot wire a car, Jenny?" Nick shot back at her, impatiently.

"As a matter of fact I-"

"Get down!" Nick silenced her by grabbing her by the shoulders and pulling her down onto the ground behind a rather large, rather smelly, green dumpster. Hardly daring to breath and without the first idea as to what was going on, Jenny strained her ears to listen and soon heard heavy footsteps passing where she and Nick had just been stood, followed by the sound of an engine running. Nick gave her a pointed look at which she simply raised her eyebrows. After a glance around the side of the dumpster, Nick stood up and Jenny followed, smoothing down the dress she had now had on for nearly a week.

"You know, I'm not in the best of moods at the moment," She started, "And I hardly appreciate being shoved down into the dirt so next time you plan on doing that to me, please give me a little warning"

"I gave you a warning, I said 'get down'" Nick pointed out and Jenny rolled her eyes, mumbling something about 'that hardly counts'.

Nick shot her an exasperated glance and then continued towards the building. After a quick glance around, he disappeared inside the door. Jenny stood, wavering between going inside and leaving, before deciding that sticking with Nick was probably her best shot in this neighborhood and following him.

"Nick!" She called out in a whisper as she pushed open the door. Inside was dark, with only pale aluminium lights running down the long corridor. The walls were bare and, from what Jenny could see in the terrible light, stained by the damp. The place certainly _smelled _of damp and Jenny was left wondering why anyone would want to be in such a place.

"Nick!" She called out again and yelped when a large hand closed around her upper arm and she was dragged through a doorway.

"Be quiet" A Scottish purr came from far too close to her ear for Jenny's comfort. Her breath caught and an electric tingle that she wasn't too happy about danced down her spine, making her shiver involuntarily under his touch. Nick withdrew his hand and Jenny heard a rustling of fabric. "Put this on" He said, handing her something thick, soft and warm. Feeling around it, Jenny found the arm holes and, upon pulling it on, she was overwhelmed by a scent of musk and some cologne she wasn't familiar with. That was a surprise. He didn't seem like the type of man to wear cologne.

"Jenny" His voice came suddenly, "Jenny you need to be quiet-"

"What? I didn't say anything!"

"Why, professor" A new, cold voice came from the dark, "How lovely of you to join us!"

Suddenly, the pitch black room was bathed in a brilliant, white light much brighter and stronger than the ones in the long corridor and Jenny had to shield her eyes. When they eventually adjusted, she looked around to see a weedy, balding little man standing in the center of the room surrounded by men wearing soldiers uniforms.

"Leek."

"Oh, yes, and I'm sure I dont need to introduce," Leek pointed behind Jenny and she turned around to see a woman stepping out of the shadows.

"Hello, Nick"

* * *

><p><strong>I wasn't happy with this chapter as I got towards the middle, but I think I made up for it at the end.<strong>

**I hope you're enjoying it, please review, simply because I love hearing your opinions and it motivates me to write more and better! Thanks guys!**

**Stephanie xxx**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"Hello Nick"

A tangible silence hung in the air for a while. Jenny looked back and forth between Nick and the woman. She looked positively wild. From the way her hair was cut in spikes around her head to the tears in her barely-there clothes. From what Jenny could see of her arms, she was toned and strong, and tanned. Her skin had that almost leathery look of someone who has adjusted to the extremist of weather conditions but on her, it didn't look particularly bad. In fact, Jenny thought, she suits it. The wild glint in her eye gave away her nature and the way she stood with her hands on her hips, her weight on one leg, her head tilted slightly to the side and her chest pushed out slightly, gave her the impression of domination and power. Jenny, though slightly scared and, although she'd never admit it, fairly intimidated by this woman, found herself having a little bit of automatic respect for her, simply because of her obvious power.

"Helen." Nick said, almost blankly.

"It's been a while. What, almost a week now?" She said, her thin lips curling up into something that was more of a smirk than a smile.

"What do you want?" Nick said, looking between Helen and Nick. It was then that Jenny realised that they were surrounded. Helen on one side, Leek and his guards on the other. Involuntarily, she turned her back on Nick, circling the people who were obviously the predators in this situation.

"Actually, nothing from you" Leek answered, folding his arms, "Actually, the fact that you're here is of the upmost inconvenience to me"

"Then let us go" Nick said, almost half-heartedly. Even Jenny, who had never even heard of Leek or Helen in her life, could see from their situation that she and Nick were in trouble and that there was no way the duo was going to simple let them walk out.

"I'm afraid we can't do that Nick, you see, we have a plan" Helen said, taking a step towards them.

"What plan?" Nicks eyes sharpened.

"Now, that would be telling" Leek had a voice that made Jenny simply want to punch him, but she didn't dare for fear of being shot down on the spot. She kept quiet.

Helen walked right up to Nick so that there was barely an inch of air between them, so that, had either of them been so inclined, they simply would have had to lean in a little and their lips would touch. Their eyes were locked and, for a moment, it reminded Jenny of some of the intimate moments she and Mark, her fiancé, had shared. With a guilty feeling, she realised that she hadn't thought of Mark in hours and that he was probably going out of his mind with worry about her, along with the rest of her family. Jenny watched the pair with interest and it became obvious that, rather than an intimate moment, they were engaged in a contest of will. Who would look down first? Helens brown eyes bored into Nicks startling blue ones and his right back at her. One pair light and pained, the other brown and cold. Eventually, it was Nick who looked away.

Helen smirked.

"Put them in the cell" Helen said to the guards and Jenny felt her arm, the same place Nick had held, being gripped by a much tougher, much rougher hand and then she was being dragged.

"Hey, let go of me!" She struggled but the soldier barely looked at her and, seconds later, she was thrown onto the floor of her cell. Nick was thrown in after her and the door slammed shut. Annoyed to her very core, and rather scared, she jumped to her feet and rounded on Nick.

"What the hell is this, Nick? Whats going on her and what have you dragged me into?"

"I explained this to you the night we...met" He said, not looking at her.

"You mean all that stuff about...about creatures and A-a-"

"Anomalies" Nick supplied.

"Anomalies, right! You mean all that stuff was true? You're not crazy?"

To Jenny's upmost surprise, Nick smiled and then looked up at her, his face completely transformed from anytime she had seen him in the past. That smile affected her in ways she didn't understand, or _want_ to understand, for that matter.

"No, Jennifer Lewis, I am most certainly not crazy"

Jenny watched him for a while, then inhaled deeply.

"Who is she?"

"Who?"

"H-Helen?" She said, carefully eyeing Nicks face. His eyes were on the floor again and his smile had melted from his face. He didn't look back up at her.

"She's my wife"

This silence was uncomfortable. Jenny stared, open mouthed, at him. Somehow, _wife _was the last word Jenny had expected him to say. _Ex-lover_ maybe, but not wife. Imaging that woman wearing a wedding dress was one of the hardest things Jenny had found herself doing that day. Amazed, she couldn't think what to say next.

"I know, it's strange to you. But she hasn't always been that way," He stated, pushing himself to his feet and leaning back against the wall. "She was...beautiful, once. And full of love and life...that was before the anomalies, before the creatures, before the...affair"

"Affair?"

"Yeah...she and Stephen, you've met him?" Jenny nodded, "Well, they were together nine years ago, before she left me to go traveling through time"

"Oh, Nick, I'm so sorry" Jenny found herself stood before him, one hand on his shoulder to comfort him. He smiled at her slightly.

"S'not your fault"

"No I know but...something tells me you didn't deserve to have it happen to you" She said, soothingly, smiling slightly back at him.

It was a moment of warmth between two people who were basically strangers to each other, in Jennys mind anyway, but it was the most at ease Jenny had felt around a man in a long time and just that thought made the guilt in her chest grow. _Remember Mark? _A voice in her head taunted, but she pushed it away. She and Nick were in trouble, here and now, she understood that. It was them versus Helen and Leek and if they were going to get out of it, well, _alive, _she was going to have to keep her head in the game.

It was then that the severity of their situation hit Jenny and she felt a million miles away from her old life, but this seemed like exactly where she was supposed to be.


End file.
